Mouthpiece



June 30, 1936- F. c. KAUFFMANN 2,045,658

MOUTHPIECE Filed Jan. 19, 1935 INVENTOR f ATTORNEY e v v pairment, of the voice of the transmitter.

Patented June 30, 1936 imirso STATES, PATENT OFFICE MOU THPlEOE Frederick C. Kaufimann, Brookline, Mass, as-

signor, by direct and mesne assignments, to Stellar Corporation, a corporation of Rhode Island Application January 19, 1935, Serial No. 2,467 6 Claims. (01. 179185) The present invention relates to the mouthpieces of telephone transmitters, speaking tubes and other voice transmitting apparatus, and has for one general object, the provision of suitable .and effective means for preventing the accumulation of dust, moisture, and germs on or in such mouthpieces, and has for another general object, the attainment of such cleanliness and hygienic advantages; with improvement, rather than 'imtransmitting effectiveness Toattain' the general objects of the invention, I make use of simple and effective means for replaceably securing an imperf orate sheet of thin paper, or other suitable flexible material, to the mouthpiece, so that it forms a curtain which extends across the mouthpiece opening effectively preventing the passage of the speakers breath, or any significant amount of atmospheric dust, into the mouthpiece opening, but which is not taut and does not seal thev mouthpiece opening,

or otherwise detrimentally modify the sound,

transmitting air vibrations in the mouthpiece occurring in its normal use. vention results in an apparent practical improvement in the voice transmitting characteristics of the transmitter. This improvement, which I attribute, in large part at least, to the action of the flexible material in excluding or damping out extraneous noises, appears to be more marked in ordinary room use of a telephone, for example, than in the use of a telephone located in a socalled sound-proof booth or room.

My invention in its preferred form, comprises simple and effective apparatus, which, when operated, automatically discharges a curtainsheet from a storage receptacle for. such sheets, and

attaches said sheet to themouthpiece in the desired curtain relation withthe latterf Such ap paratus may take widely diiferent forms and may be permanently attached to, or built into mouthpieces, or be detachably connected thereto.

The invention is of a special utility for use in connection with'ordinary telephones, and I have devised a desirably simple and effective form of my invention comprising a device adapted for ready attachment to, and, ifdesirable, for ready removal from, the mouthpiece of an ordinary telephone. That device in its preferred form, comprises a supporting member and a second member, connected to the supporting member. The said supporting member is adapted to fit against and be attached to'the rim of a telephone mouthpiece, and is formed. with. an aperture which registers with the mouthpiece opening sur- The use of the in rounded by the rim of the mouthpiece to which the supporting member is attached. Said second member is hinged, or otherwise connected, to the supporting member for movement into and out of the position in which it extends across and forms a cover or closure for the supporting member aperture. The second or cover member includes a receptacle, open at its side adjacent the supporting member when the cover member is in its closed position, and provisions for so holding a pile of sheets of paper or other flexible material within the receptacle, that the outer sheet of the pile may be automatically disengaged from the receptacle holding provisions, and attached to the supporting member, by movement of the cover member first into, and then out of its closed position.

To effect such automatic transfer of a sheet from the outer side or end of the pile within the cover member receptacle, into curtain relation with the supporting member, and to thereafter maintain that relation until it becomes desirable to replace that sheet by a fresh curtain sheet, the supporting member is provided with suitable sheet engaging means. The latter, in a preferred practical form of the invention, consists of a body of material permanently afiixed to the support and to which a curtain sheet will adhere, when pressed against said body, with suiiicient tenacity to maintain the sheet in its curtain relation during the normal period of curtain use of the sheet, while permitting the ready detachment of the sheet when its replacement becomes desirable.

The various features of novelty which characterize my invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention, however, its advantages andspecific objects attained with it, reference should be had to the accompanying drawing and descriptive matter in which I have illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the invention.

or the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a so-called French telephone, having its transmitter mouthpiece provided with a preferred form of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, of the apparatus. therein shown, but with a. cover member shown in its open position, instead of in the closed position shown in Fig. 1, and with a curtain sheet in its operative position, but partly broken away;

Fig. 3 is an elevation, partly in section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

In Figs. 1-3 I have illustrated the use of the invention in the form comprising a device, separately shown in elevation in Fig. 4, which is detachably connected to the rim A surrounding and defining the usual mouthpiece chamber B p of the transmitter C of a hand telephone of the well known French type. prises a supporting member D, and a cover member E hinge connected to the member D.

The supporting member D is preferably formed of thin sheet metal and comprises a fiat annular T portion D adapted to bear against the end edge of the" mouthpiece rim A, and inner and outer transverse flange portions D and D adapted to overlap end portions of the inner and outer surfaces of said rim. Said flanges give desirable stiffness to the member D. As shown in Figs. 1-3, the member D is held, detachably, but

with suitable security, in engagement with the rim A, by suitably shaped and disposed spring finger extensions D from the inner flange D which bear against the inner surface of the rim A, which surface converges toward the mouthpiece opening in the type of mouthpiece shown in those figures. V

The hinge connection between the members D and E, comprise extensions D at one side of the member D which are bent about and support a hinge pintle F, and a corresponding integral extension E from the member E, which is bent about the p-intle F between the extensions D The member E is preferably formed of thin sheet metal, and comprises a body portion in the form of a flat disc slightly larger in diameter than the member D, and a narrow rim or transverse marginal flange portion E which surrounds'the outer portion of the member D, when the member E is in the closed position shown in Figs. '1 and 4. The member E thus provides shallow storage space or receptacle for apile of sheets G of thin paper, or other material, which may be successively used as mouthpiece curtains. As shown, the pile of sheets G is normally held in 'place in the cover receptacle by integral extensions E from the edge of the rim portion E which are bent into substantial parallelism with the disc-like body portion of the member E. Another extension E from the edge of the rim E serves as a resilient locking finger engaging a cooperating locking portion D of the member 'D.. As shown, the locking portion D is formed by alocal distortion of the outer flange D of the member D. The parts E and D are preferably located at the opposite sides of the members D and E, respectively, from theirhinge connection.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1-4, material to which a sheet G will adhere when compressed against the material, is attached to the outersurface of the body portion of the member D; That material may be in one or more bodies suitably displaced about the axis of the member D, but advantageously and as shown, is n the form of a short are shaped body H, located adjacent, and symmetrically disposed with respect to the part 13 of the member'D." With Said device com-- this disposition of the body H, and with suitably shaped locking parts D and E when the member E is moved into its closed position shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the outer sheet G in the pile within the receptacle will be resiliently pressed toward the body H, regardless of how many sheets'G there may be in the receptacle pile. The bodyH may be formed in various ways. In practice, I have obtained excellent results by working latex on and into a cloth foundation to form the body H, and cementing the latter to the member D.

With the arrangement shown in Figs. 1-4, the member,-D may be quickly and easily attached to the mouthpiecerim of a telephone or other voice transmitter and when so attached, any

movement of the cover member E out of its closedposition will detach a sheet G from the cover receptacle and cause that sheet to adhere to the body H and form a curtain extending across the mouthpiece opening, unless at the time of such movement, the body H holds in the curtain relation a sheet G previously engaged by said body. Closing and opening movements of the cover member E occurring while the body H is engaged by a sheet G previously disengaged from the holding fingers E will not disturb any sheet G in the pile within the receptacle and back of the fingers E Whenever a sheet G previously adhering to the body H is separated from the latter, as it readily maybe by the fingers of the mouthpiece user when the cover member E is in its openposition, the following closing and opening movements of the member E will cause the sheet G at the outer side or end of the pile in the receptacle to be separated from thepile, and attached through the body H to the support D.

Preferably, and as shown, the sheets G are discs somewhat larger in diameter than the maximum diameter of the body portion D of the member D, so that there is no opportunity for the breath of the mouthpiece user to enter the mouthpiece cavity, or for atmospheric dust to enter that cavity in any significant amount, even though the joint between'the portion D of the member D and the curtain sheet G adhering to the body H is quite open, as shown in Fig. 3. The eflfectiveness of the curtain sheet in excluding dust and breath moisture and germs from the mouthpiece and'its walls, and the advantages .of such exclusion, will be. obvious to those skilled in the art. With a curtain member G of thin paper attached to themouthpiece only along a localized portion or portions of its periphery, as shown, the curtain has no significant efiect in damping out or distorting air vibration within the mouthpiece cavity B produced by the voice of the user in front of and in suitable proximity to the curtain. The curtain apparently does serve, however, to exclude or damp out air vibrations due to ordinary external noises, which unless so excluded or damped out, may seriously interfere with the voice transmission efliciency of the mouthpiece.

' It will be observed that when a sheet G is thus separated from the pile within the receptacle and caused to adhere to the body H, the side of the sheet then facing the mouth of the telephone user, is not the side of the sheet previously exposed at the outer end of the side or pile, but is the side previously protected against contact with dust and germs by its engagement with an adjacent sheet in the pile. When the mouthpiece is not in use, I consider it prefer- The device including the parts I) and E may be formed of very lightweight sheet metal, by comparatively simple die-forming operations, so that the device is inherently inexpensive to manufacture and desirably light in weight. The size and weight of the device is such that it may readily be carried in the pocket of a telephone user, for example, who may desire to attach such a device to the mouthpiece of any public, or other telephone, which he may have occasion to use, and after such use, the device may be detached for subsequent use elsewhere.

In Fig. 5, I have illustrated the use of the invention in connection with the mouthpiece AA of the transmitter of a disc or hand telephone CC of standard form, by means of means of a device identical in general operative principle, and generally similar in form to the device illustrated in Figs. 1-4. The mouthpiece rim AA of the type of phone shown in Fig. 5, flares, instead of converging outwardly as in the type of mouthpiece shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. On this account, the member DD of Fig. 5, replacing the member D of the construction first described, is shaped to provide spring finger extensions D from the outer flange D of the member DD, shaped to resiliently engage the outer surface of the mouthpiece AA, and thus secure the member DD to the mouthpiece rim AA in the desired relation. As shown, the inner flange D of the member DD, is given increased axial depth, and the member DD is thereby given greater stiffness, by ofisetting a body portion D of the member DD away from the mouthpiece end engaging portion D and the body H is attached to said portion D The member EE of Fig. 5, may be similar in form and in respect to its hinged connection to the member DD, to the part E and the hinged connection of the latter to the part D. The locking projection E of Fig. 5 is advantageously shaped as shown to bear against the conical outer surface of the spring finger extension D at the side of the member DD opposite from the hinged pintle F.

While in accordance with the provisions of the statutes, I have illustrated and described the best forms of embodiment of my invention now known to me, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes may be made in the form of the apparatus disclosed without departing from the spirit of my invention as set forth in the appended claims, and that in some cases, certain features of my invention may be used to advantage without a corresponding use of other features.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A part formed with an aperture, and in combination therewith, a member'comprising means for releasably holding a pile of sheets and connected to said part for movement into and out of a position in which an end sheet of said pile extends across said aperture, and sheet holding means adapted to be engaged by said end sheet and adapted to detach said end sheet from said holding means and retain it in the position in which it extends across said aperture when said member is moved out of the first mentioned position. r

"2. A device comprising a part formed with an aperture andadapted for attachment to a mouthpiece'with said aperture in register with the mouthpiece opening, a member formed with a receptacle open at one side and hinge connected to said part for movement into and out of a position in which said member extends across said aperture and has said one side adjacent thereto, means for releasably holding a pile of flexible sheets in said receptacle, and sheet engaging means carried by said part and adapted to engage the adjacent end sheet of said pile when said member is moved into said position and to retain said sheet when said member is moved away from said position.

3. A device comprising an annular part adapted to fit against and be removably secured to an annular rim surrounding a mouthpiece opening, a member hinge-connected to said part and having means for releasably holding flexible sheets in a pile so that the end sheet of the pile will extend across the mouthpiece opening to which said part is secured in one position of said mem- 0 her relative to said part, and means carried by 4. A device, comprising a combination, an annular part adapted to fit against the end of, and be removably secured to an annular rim surrounding a mouthpiece opening with which the central opening of said annular part is in register, and a member hinge-connected to, and covering said part when turned alongside the latter and formed with a shallow depression adapted to receive a pile of flexible sheets which extend across said central opening when said member is alongside said part, said member including means for releasably holding said sheets in said receptacle, and means carried by said part adapted to adhere to the adjacent end sheet of said pile when said member is alongside said part and thereby to detach said end sheet from said pile r when said member is thereafter turned out of its position alongside said part.

5. A device, comprising a combination, an annular part adapted to fit against the end of, and be removably secured to an annular rim surrounding a mouthpiece opening with which the central opening of said annular part is in register, and a member hinge-connected to, and covering said part when turned alongside the latter and formed with a shallow depression adapted to receive a pile of flexible sheets which extend across said central opening when said member is alongside said part, said member including means for releasably holding said sheets in said receptacle, and means carried by said part adapted to adhere to the adjacent end sheet of said pile when said member is alongside said part and thereby to detach said end sheet from said pile when said member is thereafter turned out of its position alongside said part, said part and member having parts cooperating to releasably secure said member in its position alongside said part.

6. A device, comprising a combination, an anon movement of said member into said position,

nular part adapted to fit against the end of, and 75 be removably secured to an annular rim.surrounding a mouthpiece opening with which the central opening of said annular part is in register, and a member hinge-connected to, and covering said part when turned alongside the latter and formed with a shallow depression adapted to receive ,a pile of flexible sheets which extend acrosssaid central opening when said member is alongside said part, said-member including means for releasably holding said sheets in said receptacle, and means carriedby said part adapted to adhere to the adjacent end sheet of said pile when said member is alongside said part and thereby to detach said end sheet from said pile when said member is thereafter turned out of its position alongside said part, said part and member having parts cooperating to resiliently press said pile against the last mentioned means when said member is alongside said part.

FREDERICK C. KAUFFMANN. 10 1 

